watson



J. W. WATSON.

RECOIL CHECK.

AVPLICATION FILED DC.1.19Ib.

1,31 1,629. 7 Patented July 29, 1919 6 INVENTOR John/M15010,

WITNESS i BY ATTORNEY I. W. WATSON.

RECOIL CHECK APPLICATION mzo DEC.

Patented July 29, 1919.

A g m m/ m m d s w. W W aw s 1 a. @W QM 2 I S 1 3 m 1 W A TTORN E Y5 ed portions JOHN W. WATSON, OF WAYNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

REGOIL-CHECK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29. 1919.

Application filed December 1, 1915. Serial No. 84,892.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it 'known that I, JOHN W. WATSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vayne, county of Delaware, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recoil-Checks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to room] or rebound checks for vehicles, and more especially for automobiles and the like, in which it is desirable to control and modify the recoil or rebound caused by the action of the springs by which the fraI-neof the vehicle is suspended upon the axles in assuming their normal position after deflection through the contact of one or more of the wheels of the vehicle with a road obstacle or through other causes.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a recoil or rebound check which sh all modify and control the recoil or rebound caused by the springs of the vehicle tending to assume their normal position after deflection. but which shall not hinder or retard the compression or deflection of the springs from their normal position due to thecontact of one or more of the vehicle wheels with y a road obstacle or to other causes; to provide a recoil or rebound check which will not hamper or retard the deflection or compression of the springs during the relative approaching movement of the frame and ax but will become operative to exercise a check ing and modifying effect during the relative separating movement of the parts, thereby checking the upthrow of the spring-supportof the vehicle. and mininvzing the danger of breakage of the springs and assisting in keeping the wheels of the vehicle in contact with the road. A further object of my invention is to provide a recoil or rebound cheek having the foregoing characteristics in which the amountof resistance exerted against the relative separation of the frame and axle of the vehicle may be made substantially invariable, and moreover, may be adjustabl'y controlled if desired. v

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a recoil or rebound check which shall be simple in construction and devoid of intricate and complicated parts; which may be manufactured at a low cost; which is adapted for attachment to practically any type of automobile 'or other vehicle; which after once being adjusted in position shall require. a minimum amount of care and attention, and which shall not be likely to get out of order. in operation or become broken or damaged through rough usage.

My invention further includes all of the other various novel objects and features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified and described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of the invention as attached adjacent the front axle of an automobile, and Fig. 2 a fragmentary top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a similar form of the invention attached adjacent the rear axle of an automobile in a slightly different manner from that shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 4a fragmentary top plan view thereof. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a slightly modified form of the invention as attached adjacent the front axle of an automobile. In Figs. 6 andf, respectively atop plan view of an automobile chassis and an elevational view thereof taken on line 7-7 inFig. 6, is shown a slightly different mode of attachin the invention to an automobile or other ve icle, while Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a top plan view and a side elevation showing details of the device, and Fl .10 a top plan view showing another detai thereof.

The invention essentially comprises a nonrevolvin'g drum adapted to be secured in fixed relation with a portion of an automobile or other vehicle, a cord or band coiled around the drum, one end of the cord being adapted for attachment to another ortion of the automobile relatively movab e with respect to that portion to which the drum is allixed, and means secured to the other end of the cord operativev to, preferably adjustabl tension the same, as hereinafter descrr d.

It will be understood that the invention is adapted to be secured to an automobile or 10 other vehicle which, for example may comprise a frame having side members 1, and root and rear axles 2 and 3 upon which the frame is supported by means of springs 6 r and 7 in the usual manner, as will be readily 10 comprehended b those famihar with the art. It will be 'fiirther understood that the invention is adapted for attachment ad- 'acent each end of one or both axles, al-

though for the sake of clearness in Figs. 1 11 the spring clips 14 of the vehicle, and a flanged inwar y offset portion 16 to which the drum 10 is rigidly secured as by cap screws 18 passing through the flange and into the drum, the bracket being preferably arranged in such manner that the drum Wlll be positioned in substantial alinement with the axle and inside of the frame member 1,

:with-its axis substantially at right angles thereto.

The drum itself may be of any desired construction having eithera lain or grooved surface, but may prefera ly com prise a spiral, substantially semi ci-rcular,

ve around its periphery, the'width of tlie groove being preferably sli litly greater than the diameter of the cord or band 20 which is coiled around the drum in a lon itudinally extending s iral to rest within t 1e groove. 'One'end of t e band or cord, which may be of any suitable material, such as a braided cord, and imp hgnated, if desired, with suitable waterproo ng or lubricating material, is secured to a suitable lug or the like 23 fixed with regard tote portion of the vehicle relatively movable to that portion to which the drum is secured, so that in a case where the drum is'secured to the axle, as shown in Fi 1 and 2, an end of the cord may be SB-Clll'fit to the frame member 1, prefera ly substantially vertically above the drum. The other end of the cord after leaving the drum is secured to a suitable spring 25 by means of a clip 26 or other convenient fastenin means, which spring is preferably made 0' considerable length, and secured adjacent its other end to some portion of the vehicle preferably fixed with relation to that portion thereof.to which the drum is attached by any suitable means preferably adapted to permit lon itudinal adjustment of the spring. For tlis purpose, and as shown in Fi 1 and 2, the end of the spring may ii secured to an eye-bolt 28 adapted to extend through a suitable support 30 secured to the s r ng 6 or other convenient part of the veliicle, a pair of lock nuts 32 engaging the end of the eye-bolt protrudil through the support servin to secure t e e ebolt in position as ,Wel as to permit adjustment of the tension of the spring.

ment of the spring manner similar to that already described in connection with the bracket 12. The bracket 35 is preferably so arranged that the drum will be positioned slightly within the line of the frame and substantially over the rear axle of the vehicle. Instead, however, of attaching one end of the cord 20 to the frame, an end thereof secured to the axle by means of a suitable clip -10, the cord being thence carried up and around the drum to the s ring 25, to which it may be attached by a c ip 26, the other end of the spring being connected to the frame or other suitable portion of the vehicle preferably in the manner heretofore described, as by an eyebolt 28 extending through a fixed lug 30, and adjustably maintained in position by lock nuts 32.

The parts having been constructed and positioned upon the automobile or other vehicle preferably substantially as heretofore described, and the lock nuts 32 preferably so adjusted that when the vehicle is at rest and the frame and axles in their relatively normal position the spring 25 will be under sulficient tension to maintain the cord 20 closely wound about the drum 10, the operation of the invention may be described as follows :-W'hen through the contact of a wheel of the automobile with a road obstacle, or from any other cause, the vehicle springs are flexed and the axle and frame relatively approach each other, the cord will be drawn around the drum by the spring 25 without diflicultv, the drum being non-revolving or relative y stationary, the length and adjustbeing preferably such that when the frame and axles have approached each other as closely as the construction of the vehicle will permit, the spring 25 will still be under a certain ten s lon. As soon in; the relative approaching increment of the frame and axle ceases the action of the vehicle springs tending to as some their normal position operates to forcibly and rapidly separate the axle and frame. a movement which, if not retarded or modified, results in practice in the sharp upthrow of the spring-supported parts of the vehicle, and sometimes in the breaking of one or more of the vehicle springs as well. This movement of separation between the relatively movable parts of a vehicle equipped with my invention, however, necesi an drama as daily negligible.

sitntes the drawing the cord or band around the drurnin ia fiverse direction from that in whiglli it was drawn around the drum W. o, H V

oveme t' or the V cord "in re '7 verse direct on can not be, accomplished freely but on the contrary requires a rela- 1e tively great amount of force owing to the frictional resistangj set up between the cord and the drum, the amount of resistance being determined with. a drum and cord of giren L tire diametersby the number of etcord m it the-"drum and the a ma we 7 approach each other eawi oat freedbm, as heretofore den m V scribe a movement of these parts in the opposite direction may be retarded to any desired degree. 7

It wil f urtherlnore be understood that in 25 Eacticesullicientadjustment can ordinarily I obtai h V ned ofthe adjusting de- (ii iii dried individual or type of' rtions of the 7' rnum l er of coils of the latter wi l uld be emplo ed for any or styleof vehicle having 11 determinedbyr the manufacturer of the inventi n the individual purchaser thereof after as applying the invention to his automobile mayby the use of the adjusting means regalatethe .oberation of the device to meet his L the adjusting means hebecause of the rd retched in service or from oh the fifi may have become somewhat lessens 7 rltiwillrrbe evident in the forms *of the f,invention heretofore described that as the -45 trams and axle relativel approach during 7 the [operationof vthe evicc, the tension "exerted on the cord by thespringh 25 will become gradually less, and that as t a frame and axleseparatethis tension will become I each a graduall" greater, 'andj inoreolver, that V r e, dwill travel a distance equal to thaat fa edfhy' the iother endwini respect to' the druin'hresiiniing the amount of streteh cagiyc in the cord to be substan- I'n thejorm oi the invention shown inliigrfi, however, which illus- V trates the "sameEasj ttachcd adjacent the frontaxle 2 ofa vehicle having frame mem- V 1" supported thereon by vehicle springs 60 6 in the usual manner althongh this form of theinventi 's 'eqaally ada ted for attach- 7 meat ad fa 'ax e of a vehicle,

7 rthe rvarious parte or mthedevice are so arranged'tha't the tension exerted by the 65 spring upon the cord will be constant. Also,

e 5 13m "while the f ame" flier-causes, the init al tension of the 5 ring" is substantiall Figs. 1 and 2, hedrums being supported In this form oithe invention the nonicvo lv- 7 'mg' drum 1 iisittaelied torn suitable portion *ogf{',he veliiele,,as,"for instance the frame "member l by means of a bracket 50, which may be substantial? similar to the form of bracket shown in 1g. 4, and arranged to maintain the drum a short distance inside of the line of the'frame, and one end of the cord attached by a suitable clip to another relatively movable part of the vehicle, as,'for instance, the axle 2. One end of the spring 52 is attached to the other end of the cord; after the latter. has been coiled around thedrurnfby jneans of the clip 53, and the other ed of the spring so ported by a member the lower and 0 which is suitably securedto that part of the vehicle, in this case the axle, to which the end of the cord is attached, as by a bracket 56, and the upper end of which is directed in such manner as to bring it into proper relation with the endof the spring 52 to 'whicbfiit may be preferably adjustab y secured by any 'suit able meaniaa for example, an eye-bolt 28 andloclrnetsi 2 heretofore described, by means of whichthe tension of the'spring may be varied. While I have illustrnlml a single' form of member 55 it will be undcrstood that any other suitable form may be employed, the shape and size thereof being determined primarily by the construction and arrangement of the parts of the vehicle to which the invention is attached. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially similar to the operation of the form heretofore descri d, except that upon the relative approach of the frame and axle, the member 55- will move with the latter, thereby keeping the spring 52 at constant tension, and that upon the separation of the frame and axle the member 55 will similarly move with the latter, so that no matter what relative position the frame and axle may assume, the tension exerted by the spring til'lVBIliilOIl Ate, an vantoniobile clmssl a, ,sa i d,

views Shnwingllib invention attached adjacent both; the front and rear axles thcrcof. The manner of attaching the invention adjacentthe front axle and shown in said figures Similar to that shown in adJacent the front axle by suitable brackets 12, a bracket of a form well adapted for this purpose being shownln Figs. 8 and 9. except that instead of separately securingthe rear end Ofeflfihni thesprings 25 to springs (i or othensui bl rtion Qof the vehicle, the end of each spring is to a cord by means of a clip 61 which cord is carried over 6 and 7 I have illustrated a is beiieved that the operation of a suitable pulley 63 secured to the frame or other suitable member and attached to a suitable turn-buckle 66 or other mhustmg' means located substantially midwa of the sides of the frame by means of w ch the tension of both spr1ngs may simultaneously regulated. It Will be evident that in a construction of this nature tension will be at all times exerted upon both cords 2}) equally, and that but a. Slhla adwstment is required in order to equa ly regulate the tension of both springs,

A substantially similar manner of mstalling the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, may be em loyed n connection with the rear axle, a rum bemg supporte'd on a bracket 70 adjacent each side of the frame preferahl substantially in vertical alinement with he rear axis, the cords 20 being coiled about their respective drums and secured to the axle as herembefore described in connection with Figs. 3 and 4. The other ends of the cords are secured to the springs 25, the ends of which are con nected by a suitable cord 73 passing over a pulley 74, in turn secured to a turn-buckle or other adjustin means 75 ailixed to a crossmember 76 o the frame or other suitable support, so that by a suitable ad ustment of the turn-buckle the tension of the springs may be simultaneously regulated as hereinbefore described. In order that the lead or direction of the springs and ad acent portions of the cord shall be substantially normal to the axes of the respective drums about which the resgective cords are coiled, it may be prefera is to form the brackets 70 in such manner that eachdrum shall be maintained with its axis in slightly angular relation with the side members of the frame, as clearly shown In Fig. 10. It t 'e invention when attached as just described will be evident without detailed description.

While I have herein shown and described I certain forms of my invention with con siderable particularity, and have illustrated them as attac\ed to an automobile or other vehicle in v ions ways,'I desire it to be understood gliat the invention is equally adapted for se in connection with railway or trolley cars, or in fact with any vehicle or the like having spring-supported parts and in which it is desired to retard or modify the rebound of the sprin and further that the modes of attaching t e device which I have shown are merel illustrative and arbitrarily chosen, and t at the same may be modified and varied as may be required in attaching the device to varying makes and kinds of vehicles, and that the invention may be utilized in connection with both the front and rear axles of any 'ven vehicle or with either of them, and t e drums attached either adjacent the axle or adjacent volving part c around said drum and havin' one on the frame as may be convenient or desirable. Furthermore, I do not desire or intend to limit myself specifically to the forms of the invention herein illustrated and described, as it will be evident that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof and in the form and location of the several farts without departing from the spirit an scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States: 1. A recoil check comprising a non-redrum adapted for attachment to a a vehicle, a flexible member passin adapted for attachment to a p ,of the whole relatively movable with respect to said first-mentioned art, and means adjacent the other end 0Sflld fiexible'member operative to maintain said flexible member at substantially constant tension.

2. The combination with a vehicle having relatively movable parts, of a stationary drum mounted on one of said arts, a flexible member passing about said drum and having an end secured to another of said parts, and means 0 rative to exert substantially constant tension upon the other end of said flexible member.

3. The combination with a vehicle having relatively movable parts, of a recoil check comprising a stationary drum in fixed relation with one of said parts, a. flexible member passing around said drum and having'an end secured to another of said parts, and a spring adapted to maintain said flexible member under a substantially constant tension during relative movement of said parts. 7

4. Mechanism for retarding the relative drum and adapted to e attached at one of its ends to the other i said portions, and means adjacent the ot er and of said flexible member to maintain said flexible member under substantially constant tension, the relative movement of said vehicle portions operating to cause both ends of said flexible member to move substantially equal distances with respect to said drum.

5. The combination with a vehicle having relatively movable parts, of a stationary drum carried by one of said arts, a flexlble member passing about sald drum and fixed with respect to the otherof said parts, and tensioning mean so secured to said flexible member and said last mentioned part as to maintain, substantially constant,

other of said parts,

the frictional resistance oflered by the device in one direction. '7

6. In ,3, reco l check, he combination with a vehicle, of a flexible member coiled around said drnmend attached atone of its ends to the other of said parts,.and tensionin means to which the other end of said flexible memher is attached, the mechanism being arranged in such a manner that relative approach and separation of the two first-unentioned parts will cause no material variation in the amount of tension on the last-mentioned end of the flexible member.

7 In a recoil eheeli 't lie combination with relatively 'movdble p'art' of a vehicle, of a stetionar drum supported from one of said parts, a exiblc member coiled around sand to the tensioning means to of said flexible memdrnm and attached at one of itsends which the other end her is attached the mechanism being arranged in such manner that relative approach and separation of the two first-men tioned parts will cause no material variation in the amount of tension on the lastmentioned end of the flexible member and means for adjusting the amount of t.en sion.

8. In mechanism adapted to control relative motion between two elements, a drum adapted to be secured to one of acid elements, a irietion member in contact with said drum and adopted to be secured to said other element, and means, including a. member fixed with relation to said second mentioned element, to maintain, substantially constant, the frictione resistance offered by the device in one direction.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of November, A. D.

JOHN W. W'A'ISl )N. 

